Woman holding a yellowfin tuna caught in Panama

Hanna and I have been on enough alleged bucket list fishing trips to be able to tell the bad ones from the good ones from the truly great ones, and each of our trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge has been exceptional. We were lucky in that sense – our friend Elliott Stark introduced us to SFPIL owner Shane Jarvis and everything was smooth from there – but we’ve heard horror stories from other people about trips where promises went unmet and people left with a bad taste in their mouths.

We don’t want you to suffer that fate. In fact, we’re so confident in the SFPIL experience that we want you to join us on our next trip – or go on your own – it’s one of the greatest turnkey VIP experiences we’ve enjoyed.

Still, we know you want to do your own research. We expect that. It’s what smart travelers do. So here are the mistakes you should avoid when planning your Central American fishing trip.

Mistake #1: Choosing Your Panama Fishing Trip on Price Alone

Any time you take an international fishing trip you’re going to have to spend a few bucks to get it right – and most of us don’t want to spend a penny more than we have to – but to some extent the adage that “you get what you pay for” is true. There’s a fairly wide range of pricing on Panama fishing trips. You can spend less than you would for SFPIL and you can spend much more. At Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, we’ve found the perfect balance of world-class boats, gourmet dining, and top-shelf drinks—making it the ultimate Panama sportfishing experience. It’s the sweet spot of the best fishing and the best overall experience. Even if you like to rough it, you can take your high-maintenance friend or spouse and be sure they’ll have a great time, too.

Mistake #2: Planning a DIY Panama Fishing Trip for a Bucket List Experience

It’s easy to get to Panama, with direct flights from all over the US as well as international destinations. Once you’re there, it’s safe, they use American dollars and many people speak English. Accordingly, if you’ve traveled at all it shouldn’t be daunting. Nevertheless, the SFPIL VIP experience eliminates any potential bumps. You’ll be picked up not just at the airport, but at your gate. You’ll be taken through diplomatic security. Those are fantastic touches, but not strictly necessary, I suppose. What you will find critical is having a driver on call 24/7 as well as a Panamanian travel agent. Flights delayed or canceled? Luggage lost? Left something on the plane? All of those have happened to our fellow travelers and each time the staff on call has resolved them seamlessly. We also take care of your hotel in Panama City and your flights to David. You don’t have to figure out all of that domestic movement yourself.

Fresh yellowfin sushi on a Panama fishing trip

Mistake #3: Staying too Far from Panama’s Prime Fishing Grounds

By its nature, fishing in the Gulf of Chiriqui (and offshore destinations generally) requires you to cover some ground. Many species of fish are constantly moving and there’s a limited amount of daylight. There’s nothing wrong with staying in a hotel, but if you have to drive to the marina, then run out through an estuary before you even get to the start of the fishing area, you’re limiting your opportunities. Not only are SFPIL’s boats fast and efficient, but you start off from a luxury fishing lodge on a private island -- Isla Parida -- 12 miles closer to the fishing grounds than anybody else. That gives you more time for breakfast and drinking after fishing, and of course more time chasing your bucket list trophy fish. You can fish Montuosa, Hannibal Bank, Ladrones and other storied spots in the same trip, sometimes in the same day. Some lodges focus exclusively on inshore fishing or primarily on offshore efforts, but here you can chase yellowfin tuna and marlin on the same day you go inshore to catch your coveted Panama roosterfish – that’s added value right there.

Mistake #4: Assuming Panama Fishing Weather Will Always Be Perfect

We’ve been on trips to Panama in January, April, May, June and twice in November. The area is known for good weather and calm seas year-round, but you may run into the occasional rough day. On one trip we had several of them. It’s not fun for anyone to be out there in heavy wind and/or rain but it’s worse to bank on a great trip and have to stay on shore. Lodges that are dependent on a single fishing area can get screwed this way – their areas may be unfishable. Leaving from Isla Parida, though, there’s always a protected route and an island that you can tuck behind. I finally caught my coveted cubera snapper on the worst day we’ve been out there, simply because it dictated that we fish inshore and only on a certain side of the islands.

Angler with Roosterfish caught at Isla Coiba

Mistake #5: Skimping on Boats when Offshore Fishing in Panama

There are plenty of lower-priced lodges that use pangas to chase inshore and offshore fish, and they sometimes catch plenty, but SFPIL has a fleet of Freemans and World Cats. They’re comfortable, reliable and have space for all of the gear you’ll need to be successful – from outriggers to tuna tubes to the best electronics and radar. You’re maximizing your ability to get to the fish and then target them successfully when you’re there. Also, you’ll have a trained captain running the boat, with a longtime mate along to keep the fishing rolling. For them it’s not just a job, it’s a passion. They want you to succeed and have a track record of helping clients do so.

Mistake #6: Overlooking Hidden Costs on Your Panama fishing Trip

As noted above, none of these trips are inexpensive. If that’s what you’re looking for, we’re glad to help you find something closer to home. At the same time, if you’re budget-conscious like us you want to know what your total cost will be. Some places add on charges for fresh bait or laundry or gear rental. There’s none of that nickel and diming at Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. In fact, we’ve had fellow travelers request top shelf liquor or specific pillows, and they’ve always come through without questions. Once we wire your payment to the management, the only extra expenses are your international airfare, expenses in Panama City, gratuities to the staff, and tuna fillets if you’d like to take some home (Pro Tip: you definitely do). It means that you can focus on the exceptional experience rather than worrying about a final unexpected bill.

Honestly, assuming you can afford it, the biggest mistake you can make is not going on this trip. It was life changing for me – to the point that we’re getting ready for our sixth visit. Even if you’ve never considered an international saltwater trip, this will fire you up and it will allow you to taste a wide variety of species.

We still have a few spaces on our May 2026 trip, which is prime tuna popping time. If you’d like to join us, email asap and we’ll get the ball rolling. But now we’ve been there enough, across a wide range of seasons, that we’re happy to set up your dream trip at the time that works best for you. Seriously, you need to do this (and once you do, you’ll want to do it again and again like us).